Photocurrent Spectroscopy of Perovskite Layers and Solar Cells: A Sensitive Probe of Material Degradation

by Jakub Holovsky, Stefaan De Wolf, Jeremie Werner, Zdenek Remes, Martin Muller, Neda Neykova, Martin Ledinský, Ladislava Cerna, Pavel Hrzina, Philipp Loper, Bjoern Niesen, Christophe Ballif
Year: 2017 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.6b02854

Bibliography

Holovsky, Jakub, Stefaan De Wolf, Jeremie Werner, Zdenek Remes, Martin Muller, Neda Neykova, Martin Ledinsky et al. "Photocurrent Spectroscopy of Perovskite Layers and Solar Cells: A Sensitive Probe of Material Degradation." The journal of physical chemistry letters 8, no. 4 (2017): 838-843.​

Abstract

​Optical absorptance spectroscopy of polycrystalline CH3NH3PbI3 films usually indicates the presence of a PbI2 phase, either as a preparation residue or due to film degradation, but gives no insight on how this may affect electrical properties. Here, we apply photocurrent spectroscopy to both perovskite solar cells and coplanar-contacted layers at various stages of degradation. In both cases, we find that the presence of a PbI2 phase restricts charge-carrier transport, suggesting that PbI2 encapsulates CH3NH3PbI3 grains. We also find that PbI2 injects holes into the CH3NH3PbI3grains, increasing the apparent photosensitivity of PbI2. This phenomenon, known as modulation doping, is absent in the photocurrent spectra of solar cells, where holes and electrons have to be collected in pairs. This interpretation provides insights into the photogeneration and carrier transport in dual-phase perovskites.​

Keywords

Spectroscopy Perovskite Degradation